


we'll have fun 'til it ends

by theprincessed



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Criminals, Banter, Established Relationship, Flirting, Gen, Hacking, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Robbery, Stitches, Team as Family, Teamwork, Weapons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:00:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25189846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theprincessed/pseuds/theprincessed
Summary: They should probably be wearing dark clothes, but Donghyuck said that was “too cliché” and insisted on orange instead, ignoring Renjun's mutterings that they looked like prisoners before their time.~ The Dream team get ready to steal something in the dead of night, but not everything goes to plan and Jaemin pays the price for their ambition.(Inspired by one of NCT Dream'sRidin'MV concept outfits)
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 72





	we'll have fun 'til it ends

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! Unplanned fic seems to be a theme with me these days, but yes, I'm starting a ficlet series for any of the ideas I have a burning need to write immediately but am too lazy to plan into longfic lol. 
> 
> And this is my first AU! Yikes. It's quite a bit Gen, but nomin wouldn't quit so, sorry about that...also, spot the MV references. ;)
> 
> Title from Garbage's _Bad Boyfriend_. I listened to the song and the album it's from whilst writing this because it's also the kind of thing I imagined Jeno to be listening to on the job lol. Think noisy 'alternative' rock, I guess.
> 
> Hope you enjoy because I am mighty nervous x

Jaemin likes to watch Jeno assemble the weaponry from the trunk of their car as there's something about the way his hands move, nimble fingers taking apart and re-fitting, depending on what they need for what job. With the wall saw sat at their feet as an option tonight, it might be a heavy duty task. Weapons are secondary to this situation, but Jeno likes them to have at least one each, for backup, for safety. Jaemin smiles when Jeno hands him his favoured pistol and he finally glances up from his collection.

“What?”

Jaemin shrugs, tucking the pistol into the back of his waistband. “Nothing. It's just...you love this, don't you?”

Donghyuck pops up between them and throws an arm around them both. “Of course he does, otherwise we wouldn't be here,” he grins.

“Got that right,” Jeno mumbles, ducking from Donghyuck's touch. “You're a liability alone.”

“Ooh! Can I have this?” Donghyuck ignores him to reach into the trunk for the biggest weapon they have packed, besides the saw. “Fuck me! Is this a flamethrower?”

Jeno pulls Donghyuck's grabby hands away with a harsh “Hey!” before he can so much as smudge a fingerprint on the weapon and Jaemin smirks, leaning back against the car and folding his arms across his chest. “Ah yes, that's Jeno's new baby. Fully restored and upgraded from that pile of junk he found two months back, remember?”

“No,” Donghyuck dismisses easily, “but now I want it – _ah_!”

Jaemin stands by as Jeno's grip on Donghyuck's hand increases and he garbles more hurt noises until Renjun pops his head out of the front passenger window. “Will you keep the noise down! Some of us are trying to work on a strategy here,”

“Jeno's hurting me!” Donghyuck whines, his pinched expression clearing into a smug grin as soon as Renjun rolls his eyes at Jeno and Jeno relents with a shake of his head. It's a wonder they get anything done and can keep such big secrets with such a snitch on the team.

He pushes a machine gun into Donghyuck's chest. “Have this, you big baby, and shut up.”

Jaemin briefly catches his hand fondly as, now that he's armed, Donghyuck stalks off with the weapon to confer with Renjun about the tactics he'll have to use. Jeno shoulders his sniper rifle and pockets a taser just in case, retrieving a second taser before he nudges Jaemin so he can shut the trunk.

“You're so hot,” he sighs dreamily, standing still like they aren't getting ready to sneak into the exit of the building next to them.

They should probably be wearing dark clothes, but Donghyuck said that was “too cliché” and insisted on orange instead, ignoring Renjun's mutterings that they looked like prisoners before their time.

“I'm working,” Jeno reminds him, as he hands the second taser to Jisung in the backseat.

“Yeah, that's what makes it hot,” Jaemin teases, coming to stand beside him.

“I dunno if I should have this,” Jisung hesitates, pushing up his round glasses. He's the lookout tonight, specifically for the rear view of the car as Renjun stays in the front to monitor and Chenle waits in position under the pre-assigned bridge as their getaway driver.

Jaemin puts his hand over Jisung's and the taser. “It's just for emergencies, Jisungie. Point it at anybody who gets too close, okay?”

Jeno bumps him with his hip. “Can I use it on you then?”

Jaemin huffs a laugh and straightens up to lean on the car and face Jeno who's reluctantly smiling, his eyes disappearing at his own quip. “No need for that, baby,” he says, biting his lip in an obvious way and his eyes dropping down to where Jeno's fingers play at his pocket. “Just use your pretty hands to restrain me.”

“Okay everyone, listen!” Renjun declares to get their attention as he gets out of the car, the red ends on his mostly blonde hair glowing peach in the setting sun. He points at Jaemin and Jeno. “You two, please stop flirting – it's giving me a headache – and Donghyuck, come here!” Wandering away from the car in boredom, Donghyuck perks up at his name with a grin and returns to the fold like the obedient little duckling he isn't before Renjun tells them the plan. “Alright, tonight is on you three. Jisung will stay with me and Chenle, so we can have every point of the car covered - “

“ - Not because he's a scaredy cat!” Donghyuck sticks his tongue out at a vaguely trembling Jisung.

Jaemin steps between them and glares. “Not everyone is needed for every job, Lee Donghyuck – we're a team - “

“ - The Dream team - “ he interrupts the well worn motto, “yeah, yeah, yo Dream and all that - “

“ - Hey! I'm just saying, Jisungie has other talents that's all,” Jaemin pouts, “and he's still a baby,”

“Jaemin hyung, please! I'm not a baby anymore!” ” Jisung whines, slightly disapproving his own words.

Jaemin pinches his cheek through the window before Renjun claps his hands together. “Oi! Shut the fuck up or I swear to god neither of you are going on this job!” Jaemin and Donghyuck share a contrite look, the edges of their smiles at Renjun trying to keep them in line making them silently agree to stop bickering. “ _As I was saying_ \- Jisung is with me and Chenle and you three are the team on the ground. Oh, and Jaemin - “ He ducks briefly into the car then hands Jaemin his tablet. “ - Here's your access to all the CCTV and your stuff in case you need to emergency hack.” His lip curls in disdain when Jaemin kisses the tablet's surface before he turns steady eyes on Jeno. “You know what you're doing, thank god. In and out, as fast as you can, but make sure you're wiping your traces as you go. Try not to fatally punch anyone this time, too.”

“Aw, come on!” Jaemin argues, putting his chin on Jeno's muscled shoulder. “How was Jen meant to predict he'd hit his head on the way down? Poor baby doesn't know his own strength, do you?”

Jaemin lowers his hand to cover Jeno's curled fist, batting his eyelashes when Jeno flexes, trying to will away his blush at the criticism. He never wants to hurt people, not permanently. It's just his defensive method when shit hits the fan and sometimes he can get a little too _aggressive_ with the rush of adrenaline. 

Fully kitted out, the team exchange high fives and fist bumps all round just as the walkie talkie in the car buzzes to life. Renjun reaches for it to respond to the familiar voice. “Copy that. We're all ready to go here, hyung. Just say the word, over.”

The voice on the other end crackles and Chenle winces in the driver seat before he takes out his phone and makes a note. Probably to buy another set, Jaemin supposes, seeing as he's also financing this whole operation. “What – word? Over.”

Renjun sighs heavily and Donghuck snickers, snatching the walkie talkie from him. “ _The_ word, hyung!” They're always careful not to mention names in communication between the team, in case someone is listening in on the same channels they've hacked into. “To tell us it's okay to go. Everything alright? Over.”

“Ohhhh!” Mark says, back at base. “I get it now. Copy that. Yeah, man, it's cool. Go, go, go! Over and out. Yo Dream!”

Everyone dutifully joins in repeating twice like usual before Renjun gives a final nod and gets back in the car with Jisung and Chenle, the remaining three turning away as they speed off to the extraction point. Armed with their weapons, technology and street-smarts, Jaemin waits for Jeno to hoist the bag with the hidden saw and they creep towards the fire exit; Jaemin bringing up the rear as Jeno stays sandwiched between him and Donghyuck in front.

The first obstacle happens to be a security code locked door and Jaemin lunges with glee, propping his tablet up on his knee so he can work his magic. Beside him, Donghyuck is twitchy and spins the ends of his stethoscope around his neck as Jeno keeps a lookout, although Jaemin's not quite sure how Jeno can concentrate with his Airpods in and turned up so loud they can hear the hint of rock music bleeding out whilst he whilst he performs a simple hack with a swipe of his fingertips. Quick as a flash, the door is unlocked, but a shrill, blaring noise follows.

“Fuck! I forgot to disable the alarm!” Jaemin yells, cursing his first mistake as he hurriedly tries to correct it.

“Just turn it off!” Jeno shouts back.

Now that they're in a tight spot, his rifle is poised in the same way that Donghyuck's machine gun is, but he takes his eyes off the sight to look imploringly at Jaemin and they both hear Donghyuck splutter Jeno's name before a fourth voice joins them, a security guard coming to investigate who tripped the alarm.

Wild-eyed, Jaemin glances up to Jeno frozen momentarily before he tries to protect Jaemin shielding himself with his tablet as he works and Donghyuck roars, charging at the guard. Jaemin hasn't got enough hands to reach for his pistol and jumps, startled, when he feels it slide from his waistband, relief coming as Jeno brandishes it forward a second later, gaze returned to Donghyuck and following him with his weapons as he wrestles with the guard.

Twisting and turning in front of him, Jaemin glances up at the scene every few seconds to keep his wits about him before he realises that the reason they're all struggling is that the guard has a weapon too. He can't see what it is from this angle, hiding behind Jeno, but he's finally able to stop the alarm with a bang.

Wait – a bang?

The ringing stops, but a different ringing replaces it in Jaemin's ears as a bullet suddenly tears through Jaemin's orange jacket and whistles past his shoulder, nicking him on the way. He staggers into the wall of the corridor, a burst of white-hot pain making him drop his tablet and Jeno turns around, eyes wider than Jaemin's ever seen them. “Jaemin!”

His expression switches immediately and Jaemin catches a glimpse of his furious face, his jaw tense, as he aims his rifle at the scuffle still going on. “No, don't!” he groans, “I'm okay – I'm okay!”

There's a thump and the guard falls limp in Donghyuck's arms, knocked out cold with a bloody nose from the butt of his own gun. Donghyuck blinks at his friends in the ensuing silence, both out of shock that that just happened and handily to see if the guard had any friends of his own who were about to appear as backup. After no one arrives in those few seconds, Jaemin sits down on his ass with a thud, still clutching his left arm, and Jeno whirls around to fall to his knees.

“Shit! You're bleeding!” he exclaims and Jaemin takes his shaky hand away to see, his wet hand stained crimson.

As mainly the hacker and with the rest of the team around him, he's usually safe from a lot of the chaos on jobs. His only contact with marks is usually through turning on his charm and smoothly getting everyone into the places they need to be for a job, so this is a surprise, but he supposes he only has himself to blame.

“It's just a scratch, Jeno-yah,” he coughs, doing his best to hide how queasy and light-headed he feels. “Don't worry about me.”

“But I can't help it. I want to keep you safe.” Jeno hisses as footsteps skid across the floor and Donghyuck appears above them.

He whistles low under his breath. “Congrats on your first scar, Jaeminnie. If you ask me, it's been a long time coming.”

Jeno growls like he disagrees, ripping the hem off his black muscle tee to use as a temporary tourniquet for Jaemin's arm, tightening it mercilessly even when Jaemin inhales sharply at the sensation. “We need to get him back to the car now, Donghyuck-ah.”

“Are you out of your mind?!”

“What the fuck?! No way!” Jaemin looks up at Donghyuck protesting just as ardently as him and they share a grin before he softens his eyes at Jeno. “We're here to do a job as a team and I'm _not_ leaving. Just like Renjun said, on Mark's orders, lets get in and out. Then you can patch me up back at base.”

Mollified, Jeno blinks but says nothing to the contrary, so Jaemin reaches for his tablet on the floor with his right arm; grateful that he's right handed. Thankfully landing face up and with only a few scratches, Jaemin pulls up the CCTV of the building on his tablet to check they have a clear path. Knowing he's outvoted with such a move, Jeno sighs, puts his Airpods back in and helps Jaemin to his feet again, sticking close by as Donghyuck goes on ahead to scope out the area. With the walkie talkie strapped to Donghyuck's person silent per on-the-job etiquette unless they need help, they find another locked door and a safe inside.

“My time to shine, boys,” Donghyuck announces smugly.

However, this door doesn't have a keypad, so Jaemin has to rely on a more traditional technique as he pulls his lock picking kit from his pocket. He unravels the pouch on the floor and is reaching for the first small tool when it appears in his eyeline, Jeno offering it. He's aware of Donghyuck clicking his tongue, impatient to get in the room to do _his_ thing, and he offers a small smile of his own, giddy at Jeno shyly looking away. Jaemin likes to tease him by flirting, but when they're really on the job, he's serious too, but he allows them to have this moment, even if their friend is third-wheeling and hating it.

With a click, the door gives way and Donghyuck runs in, Jaemin shuffles and Jeno trains his gun in every direction before he shuts the door behind them. Jaemin slumps into the wall again as exhaustion starts to take hold, but Donghyuck pays him no mind and sits cross-legged in front of the safe to unwind the stethoscope from around his neck. He may be loud and extroverted, but he's also damn good at focusing hard and listening for the changes a safe makes as his fingers twist the dial. It's like music apparently, he told them once.

Jaemin keeps an eye on the CCTV, using looped footage to keep any other employee unaware that they're here, and Jeno stays looking out the door. His gun is strapped to his back and he cracks his knuckles before looking down at Jaemin sat in the darkest corner. The light from outside highlights half of Jeno's face and, unlike before, he doesn't seem bothered by Jaemin watching him.

“How are you feeling?” he asks softly, pointing to his arm like Jaemin will have magically forgotten (without any painkillers) that he was shot.

“Been better, baby.”

“Lucky it wasn't the hand you jerk off with,” Donghyuck snorts, taking the stethoscope away from his ears. “Oh wait, that doesn't matter when you've got Jeno to do it for you.”

Jeno walks towards the safe to smack him upside the head. “Keep working, idiot. We haven't got all night.”

“Yes, sir.” Donghyuck mutters before he has a quiet giggle fit to himself and Jaemin really doesn't want in on that particular joke.

Satisfied that he's working on cracking the safe again, Jeno sits by Jaemin's good side and strokes his knee. “Hey, I'm sorry.”

“What?”

“I should've protected you.” He tucks his chin to his chest and rests his arms on his knees. “Instead I yelled at you.”

Jaemin grabs his nearest hand. “No, come on – it was my stupid mistake. I put the job in jeopardy and you had to cover me, you and help Donghyuck if he needed it.”

“But you got shot.” Jeno laces their fingers and squeezes. When he looks up, his dark eyes are shining. “Because of me. I didn't do a good enough job and I'm meant to be _that_ guy. I need to protect you - “

“Jeno - “

“ - I need to protect you all because if - “

“YES! AHA! I'M IN!”

Jaemin blinks at the interruption and he and Jeno turn their heads towards Donghyuck. “Looks like we didn't need your monster saw after all, Jeno-yah!” He takes the stethoscope out of his ears and grins, oblivious. “What? Why are you looking at me like that? Did I interrupt something?”

“Always. Call it another talent of yours.” Jeno sighs, giving one last squeeze to Jaemin's good hand before he crosses the room to Donghyuck and the safe. He's taken the walkie talkie out to update Renjun and Jeno plucks that and the loot from the safe out from his hands. “We've got...the thing, apparently. Is it meant to be this small? Over.”

Donghyuck leaps up and snatches both of them back, the USB stick so unassuming that Jeno had to check. “Chenle is about to be rich _and_ powerful 'cause of this 'thing'!”

“What happened to being part of a team?” Jaemin jokes, groaning as he joins them to look at what they've risked their lives and freedom for. “I'm with Jeno. It's so small.”

“If it's the USB stick – then, yes – it's the right one. Over.” Renjun tells them, closing the debate.

“I don't know why they're doubting me! Over!” Donghyuck whines.

“Copy that and I don't give a shit. Get to the extraction point. Over and out.”

Donghyuck sulks, pushing the USB stick into Jeno's chest and making him shoulder the bag holding the saw again as revenge. “Nine times out of ten, Chenle bankrolls us for these jobs and he wanted that, so you do the maths. Come on, let's stop wasting time and go.”

He flounces out like he won the argument and Jaemin and Jeno shrug at each other then follow him. They need to stick together if they're going to make a clean getaway.

It all goes swimmingly until they're about to reach the exit that's nearest to where the rest of the team are waiting and they come upon a group of security guards, obviously alerted to the earlier commotion. Donghyuck had dragged the unconscious guard into the first room available, but clearly not done a good enough job.

“There they are!” he hollers, blood still spattered on his face and his gait very ungainly as he points in their direction.

“Run!” Donghyuck shouts, “Go! Go! Go! Haha! See ya, motherfuckers!”

Jeno hauls the saw onto his shoulder and does well to keep up as Donghyuck tears through corridors and doors, Jaemin squirming through to follow him and not hit his injured arm on the way out. The burst of fresh air as they tumble out into the night is a welcome feeling and they scramble into the backseat beside Jisung as Chenle's torn between bouncing in the driver's seat, yelling and laughing. Jaemin's heartbeat thuds against his ribs and the increased flow is probably not good for his arm, proven by Jisung's worried gasp, but he can't worry about himself until he hears the saw clatter behind them and Jeno slam the trunk closed. Jaemin yanks him inside the car by the first bit of his clothes he can reach and the engine rumbles to life, tires screeching as they pull away from the scene. 

Jisung keeps looking out of the rear windscreen at the guards trying in a now futile attempt to catch up with them, watching their figures get smaller and smaller until they disappear, and then turns to Jaemin leaning into Jeno's side to take the pressure off being squashed in the backseat. Chenle was adamant that this car was fast, but they really need a new van or something for next time. Then again, Jaemin wasn't planning on getting shot tonight.

“Hyung...” Jisung says in a small voice, blinking rapidly. He reaches out to touch Jaemin where his eyes are fixed on his arm, but he flinches before Jisung can.

“I wouldn't,” he giggles tiredly. “'It's not pretty.”

“But it will be. I'm gonna make sure you have the prettiest scar.” Jeno reassures, putting an arm carefully around Jaemin's shoulder and dropping a kiss to his temple. They're technically off-duty and the job is done, so they can be as lovey dovey as they want to be now. Besides, _Jaemin got shot_ , thank you very much.

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but there's no such thing as a 'pretty' scar and I should know.” Donghyuck says from the front, where he's folded almost in half on a disgruntled Renjun's lap. More seats means no one has to struggle with grown men on laps - another tick in the van column. They can be like the A Team. The D Team. Short for Dream, not Dicks, obviously. 

On second thoughts, Mark will laugh hard and Donghyuck will make too many dick jokes. He turns around and waggles his eyebrows, a patch of hair sliced out of one of them courtesy of a close call with a rival team's homemade shiv. Sometimes he likes to sprinkle glitter in the gap, either to make himself feel better about nearly losing an eye or to taunt the culprit when they cross paths again, Jaemin isn't sure, but he thinks that makes Donghyuck's scar look pretty, so his argument is actually invalid and he will tell him so, once he's closed his eyes for a second and -

Jaemin groggily opens his eyes to the familiar ceiling of their base; the whir of the air-conditioning and the noises of the team gathering what they need from tonight to be able to hatch a plan for the next job. They rarely stay still for long, unless there's a reason, and Jaemin blinks to focus his hazy eyes on Jeno sat on the couch with him, realising he must've fallen asleep on the journey back to base. A whimper falls from Jaemin's lips as he tries to lift his head to nosily take a peek at what Jeno's looking at. They seem to be some kind of blueprint for a weapon Jaemin knows they don't have in their armoury. Not yet anyway. 

The sound and slight movement alerts Jeno that he's awake and he throws the files carelessly on the floor in favour of looming over Jaemin's prone form and reaching out to cup his cheek. “Thank god, you're awake.”

“Well, I didn't die, did I?” he quips then hisses when he moves his shoulder to try and sit up.

“Easy!” Jeno admonishes, helping Jaemin by shoving a cushion behind him. He feels dizzy for a moment before his equilibrium returns and he smiles sunnily, but Jeno's mouth is downturned. “It was dangerous for you to sleep before I could check you out.”

“You're always checking him out, hyung,” Chenle says brightly, passing them with his phone to his ear. Probably talking his father into lending him more money for his 'activities'. “That's your problem.”

Jaemin chuckles, nudging Jeno's hand when he doesn't. “Come on, stop beating yourself up about this and take me to the infirmary.” Jeno eyes go round and his mouth parts in confusion. “Fine, I just thought it sounded fancier than take me to the room we keep clean in case somebody is bleeding their guts out.”

Jeno shudders and Jaemin squeezes his hand to comfort him, covering it up by sucking in his bellybutton and using his core to help Jeno pull him to his feet. They walk to the other room and Jeno deposits him on the sterile table before he shuts the door, the buzz of the team dulled into nothing. Jeno switches on a nearby lamp instead of the harsh overhead fluorescent lighting and then the small operating theatre light they stole from a mission to pick up medical supplies for times like these. The lamp brings the warm glow and Jaemin looks at Jeno fondly as he thumbs through the drawers to find what he needs.

Jaemin's arm hurts like a bitch, right in the meat of his bicep, but somehow this feels weirdly intimate. Often called to be the muscle on jobs, Jeno's had many run-ins with people and their weapons, but he's never had Jaemin tend to his wounds, only aftercare, like he doesn't want Jaemin to see him at his weakest, most vulnerable point or something. Jaemin would prefer the same, except Jeno promised him a pretty scar and he's not about to deny him the moment to work through whatever feelings he's harbouring right now.

“Can you take your shirt off, please.” Jeno requests, barely looking at Jaemin as he arranges his tools plus a half full bottle of whiskey. 

He's had every layer removed from him in his sleep apart from his t-shirt, so Jaemin removes his good arm then attempts to lift his injured one before a searing stab of pain cuts that idea short. “No. I can't. Help me?”

Jeno flushes pink at Jaemin's desperate pout and cute voice, making him grin before instantly it falls and his breath hitches at Jeno's gentle fingers releasing the temporary tourniquet around his arm. His t-shirt sleeve had also been padded with fresh gauze whilst he slept, but both come away soaked with blood as Jeno eases the garment over Jaemin's head and it lands in a heap on the tiled floor. Bare-chested, Jaemin shivers with a wince until he's stuck looking at Jeno gazing at him like he's either about to cry or he wants to devour him.

Whatever way it is, Jeno steps into his personal space, between his legs, and Jaemin feels his breath lightly on his forehead as his own steadily ruffles past his ears and his heartbeat thuds not from the rush of a job, but slower, as he anticipates Jeno's next move. It comes with his thumb pressing into the smiley face tattooed behind Jaemin's ear to tilt his head up and the wishful desire that he'd just go ahead and kiss him swirls inside Jaemin until he's licking his lips and pitching forward.

“Can you wait?” Jeno whispers, sounding as breathless as Jaemin feels, standing on the precipice of tension so thick. “You really need these stitches first.”

After another second of staring into the bottomless depths of Jeno's eyes, Jaemin relents because priorities. The good drugs like codeine, neat stitches and _then_ he can make out with his sexy, capable, caring boyfriend as much as he wants. “Okay, it's a deal. But be quick, I'm cold.”

Jeno's gaze slides down immediately to his pebbled nipples and Jaemin crosses his good arm over them, pretending to be scandalised. It works – Jeno laughs and they fall back into their previous rhythm of banter and light flirting for now, reminiscing about how panicked Donghyuck looked when they were running for their lives. 

“Take this and drink this,” Jeno instructs, handing Jaemin the codeine and the whiskey, “and then bite on this.”

Jaemin downs the painkillers and keeps the alcohol beside him before he looks at the offered strap of folded leather full of teeth marks. “So, you have a lot of confidence in your ability then?”

“It's just in case.” His thumb rubs at Jaemin's cheekbone as he smiles and Jaemin's fingers twitch in answer because Jeno's the one with the face tattoo, a simple cross making a feature of the cute mole under his eye because he might be tough enough to get it, but he's a soft boy really. “Trust me, it'll give you something to focus on 'cause you won't be able to hold my hand.”

Jaemin thinks about asking for one of the others to come in and be his designated hand holder, but he's shirtless (through necessity) and hoping he won't pop an inconvenient boner (through horny hormones), so he sucks up being alone in this and puts the leather between his teeth. Jeno talks him through every step and he hisses as his flesh wound is cleaned up. Luckily, there's no bullet to tweeze out, but it's a small mercy when Jeno begins the first stitch and Jaemin leaves some marks of his own on the leather, screaming through teeth clenched so hard his jaw aches and sweat springs up onto his forehead, matting his blue hair to his skin. 

When one bead rolls down his face and he tastes salt, Jeno pauses and Jaemin opens squinted eyes to see his full of apology. He uses his other hand to take the strap from Jaemin's mouth and he exhales as if he's been held underwater, great big lungfuls that hurt as his arm is still attached to a needle and sutures and Jeno's hard work. After taking another swig from the bottle to steady himself, Jaemin looks at his arm. The half that Jeno's completed looks fairly neat, despite the slashed, torn skin he started with, and forms a starburst effect from the centre. He can tell Jeno is trying his best, even though he's far from a medical professional and his heart blooms with affection.

“Wow. Not bad.” he says, reaching out until he can kiss Jeno in thanks. Just being close to him seems to lessen the pain or, more realistically, at least provide a welcome distraction as his good arm slips from around Jeno's neck and lowers to smooth his palm down Jeno's torso and below his belt. 

Still holding the needle, he can't turn away from Jaemin's wandering hand like he wants to. “Jaeminnie, I haven't finished - ” he points out, not unreasonably.

Suddenly and before Jeno can say anything else, the door opens and Jaemin looks up from teasing him to see Mark standing still in the doorway. He blinks at the suspicious angle of Jaemin's arm then at Jeno looking panicked. “Uh – shit, sorry!” he exclaims, after he's over his shock. “I thought I should come and see how Jaemin-ah is doing, but you've totally got – I mean, you're, like – yeah, I'll just – like – go. Okay.”

“Jeno's taking care of me, hyung.” Jaemin replies sweetly as Jeno blushes all the way up his neck.

Mark nods and goes to close the door when Jeno switches hands to grab and throw towards their leader a lighter, which he'd used earlier to cauterise Jaemin's wound. “Hey, can you give that back to Renjun, please?” Despite his embarrassment, Mark deftly plucks the lighter from the air and the door clicks behind him as Jeno turns back to Jaemin. “I swear, Mark's gonna have a heart attack one day.”

“It's not my fault we keep getting interrupted!” Jaemin beams. “I'm just giving them something to gossip about.”

“We're never short of that with Donghyuck around.”

Jaemin agrees then finds talking about their team almost as effective as feeling Jeno up...or maybe it's the whiskey. The gulps of alcohol make him even more talkative and he's in the midst of an anecdote about Donghyuck, a job and Mark's broken glasses when Jeno arrives at the final suture. Jaemin gets a glimpse of what it looks like before it's covered with more gauze and tape and Jeno downs his tools and his eyes crinkle from his proud smile. “You're done.”

Jaemin grabs a fistful of Jeno's muscle tee and yanks him in, their lips bumping when he tries to kiss him enthusiastically hard. Jeno chuckles against his mouth and cups Jaemin's jaw, easing them into a gentler, more accurate meeting of lips. Jaemin grimaces through his shiver as Jeno angles their faces properly, kisses Jaemin's top lip and then his bottom lip before he swipes his tongue between them lightly, asking. He's giving Jaemin everything he wanted, always so giving, and a moan bubbles up from Jaemin's throat as the kiss turns deeper and wetter. His feet are curling around Jeno's calves and he's feeling that same light-headed fuzziness as before, only this time it's because his boyfriend's a master at making out and not because he's injured.

Jeno pulls back when both of Jaemin's hands gingerly move from his hips inwards and he sighs in defeat when Jeno gives him a knowing look. That's apparently all he's getting for now. “Come on, we'd better show our faces again, I guess.”

He doesn't need the help, but Jeno has a hand clasped to Jaemin's wrist on his good side as they leave the room and join the open plan hive of activity and almost immediately Jisung comes bounding towards them. “Jaemin hyung! Are you okay? Is it bad? Does it hurt?”

A little tipsy, kiss-swollen and with all the fight drained out of him, Jaemin smiles tiredly at their youngest member. “Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated, Jisungie.” Jeno snorts, but Jisung looks relieved as Jaemin momentarily peels back the gauze to show him he has nothing to worry about. “Jeno made me a pretty scar, so I'm fine.”

He revels in how Jeno ducks his head at the compliment and the three of them flop back down onto the couch when Jisung offers to Jaemin what he's been holding in his hands and Jaemin recognises it with a delighted gasp. “My car!”

“I fixed it for you, hyung,” Jisung declares brightly. “I think it's my best attempt yet.”

He puts the remote control racing car on his lap and Jaemin feels his eyes fill with tears. Touched, he sniffs them away and snuggles into Jeno's side. “See, Donghyuck?” he calls as Donghyuck shuffles out of Mark's makeshift little office space. “I told you Jisungie had talents elsewhere! Look, he fixed my car!”

“I stand corrected. All you have to do now, Jisung-ah, is fix the real ones.” he replies teasingly, throwing himself into his desk chair nearby. Spinning around, he yells for everybody to gather at the central hub of the room. “I think it's Injun's turn to pay for breakfast!”

In the middle of Renjun appearing from doing inventory in the armoury to loudly protest Donghyuck's opinion, Chenle's laughter and Mark trying to mediate, Jaemin suddenly remembers that they worked through the night. Right on time, his stomach rumbles and he shares an amused look with Jeno, happy to still be surrounded by his dependable, hot boyfriend and their chaotic group of friends. It's a tough job, a tough life, but Jaemin wouldn't have it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies. Any kudos and/or comments are greatly appreciated x
> 
> [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/theprincessed) & [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/theprincessed) @theprincessed - Come chat to me (seriously, I need more kpop friends lol). :)


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